Spring type force measuring gauge



July 19, 1949. F. R. WOODWARD SPRING TYPE FORCE MEASURING GAUGE Filed May 21, 1946 INVENTOR fa jfer/ N0 odward.

WITNESSES:

.tion" to provide a having a s a v member which is loaded at selected loading p tits I,

Patented July 19, 1949 LSTATJE 3,416,941 I srnmo Tyre FORCE MEASURINGGAUGE 410s r J wa fi as n Rid e 51$- "rant epnlicatio e iiar Qing electrode force gages? Generally stated,'it is an object of my invention to provide atip 'f or'ce ga e that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and easy to"op crate.

Morespecifically, it is an object of my inv during operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide for using spring members of relatively thni'spri'ng mate i i m asll iie a e at v 1 of resistance welder electrode tihforces.

It is also an object of my invention toprovida ,a tip force gage which requires only theffnor nal oper t spac .Q th g jg din ti s forth taininga reading.

Yet another object of my invention is to pro- Still another object of my inventionis to provide a relatiyely si nple gage which has jgood r i t a i n and s ns t v ty i h h r rv re i rangesor fromaboutfive pounds tofifty pounds.

. ends in engagement with the base of the Usshaped member at predetermined spaced points. A pressure plate is provided on the opposite side of the base from the saddleand is secured in predetermined operating relation. with the saddle iar effecting deflection of the base portion between the points of engagement withthe saddle so a'sjto move' the .scale and indicating means relatilvefto one another forindicatingtheapplied force.

For a. more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, reference may be made to the following detailed description, which may be read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tip force gage embodying the invention in one of its forms;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the gage shown in Fig. 1; and

.20 videagage f th beamtrr firhi r itself to low cost production in large quantities.

I .2 F g. 3 is anf endelevational view of the same gage. 0. ..;i[ W z t o t he three figures of the drawing, eralilflmayjdenote, generally,

I 'h' strength spring maely flat base portion M tingthereirom on one llel relation. A scale it o ma nected to the arm [5 the endthereof in any suitable manner; and v dicatingmean's 2% comprising an lejpl'at'e navinga pointer 2! maybe ope'rat yiconiiec tedlto the arm 16 bein f .sXe Pla 'a ii i' c ne to an angularly related end portion. 22 of the arm 18 by means of screwsQiifpositionied in slots in the sn rqrtle v A saddletfi ma be premiered. n he inn s omherin e relet l i c th upt rnedls d o ti n [2 ssesl .f rre e rine th b e .sheredinrmber an n i ems .e s aredrq j tsi diewn t e csntr ino ennla b'e r v dsd w t recesse .onoppp -t edse 1: ar rr e w i wiIibeezsnlai edhe eiraite .In ordentanr ide rdafirdruniiorm. eadin mo es: ie sindsrsn eatlr 9 the s o o the lec rodes: I Lend ..:r atire. tqthe d e 2.5 an b se por io J1 m an .suchasthe'pr s rreP 28 ay be rovi e ilfhanrssswfei i 2 y omp ses,substsnt al rchanne rsh e .rmem o gsli'ght y. es ilens ha ithe s dd ev 2 h pressure plate mayjbepositioned on the opposite side of the base portion lfi fromthe saddle and. ay. he lop ativclyv connect dth reto in p termined relation.betweentheupturned end D0 tions by positioning the depending sides 29 in the elongated slots or recesses H in the sides of the saddle. The lower edges Si or the depending sides 29 may be inturned about the saddle 25 to retain the pressure plate in predetermined relation therewith.

When it is desired to measure the tip force between the electrodes H and I2, the base por tion of the gage with the saddle and pressure plate thereon is positioned between the e1eo- 30 or icn l 3 trodes. Pressure applied between the pressure plate 28 and the saddle 25 results in deflection of the base portion l4 between the upstanding end portions 26 of the saddle. The arms l5 and I8 are thus moved outwardly relative to each other, and the force between the electrodes will be registered by the indicator 2!] moving along the scale l8. Adjustment of the zero point may be readily corrected by loosening the screws 23 and moving the indicator 20 to the proper position.

From the above description and the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have provided a tip force gage which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which lends itself to low cost production in large quantities. By using a pressure plate which is maintained in predetermined operating relation to a saddle having selected loading points, a low spring stress results and yet a relatively large movement of the scale and indicator relative to each other is provided. Since the deflection of the base portion of the gage need only be relatively slight for a relatively'large indication on the scale, the effective thickness of the gage between the electrodes may be relatively small, so that only the normal operating distance between the electrode tips is required for obtaining a reading; An accurate determination of the welding tip force may thus be secured.

Since certain changes may be made in the above-described construction and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing shall be considered as illustrative and not in a, limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A gage comprising, a spring member having a relatively flat portion, a saddle positioned on one side of and engaging the spring member at spaced intervals, at pressure plate positioned on the other side of and engaging the spring member intermediate said spaced intervals and having integral portions engaging the saddle member disposed to secure the saddle member relative to the spring member, and indicating means responsive to relative movement of portions of the spring member between said spaced intervals. 2. A gage comprising, a substantially U-shaped member having spaced legs connected by an end portion of spring material, a saddle positioned on one side of and engaging the end portion at spaced intervals, a pressure plate positioned on the other side of the end portion intermediate said spaced intervals, and indicating means including a scale mounted on one of the spaced legs and a pointer connected to the other of the spaced legs adjacent their free ends.

3. For use in measuring the force between electrode tips of a resistance welding'machine, a gage comprising, a fiat spring member having a central portion with substantially parallel leg portions projecting at substantially right angle -v thereto, a scale connected to one of the leg portions, a pointer cooperative with the scale connected to the other leg portion, a saddle positloned on one side of the central portion intermediate the leg portions to engage the central portion at spaced points adjacent the leg portlohs, and a pressure plate positioned on the other side of the central portion intermediate said points of engagement of the saddle.

l. A gage comprising, a relatively nat Spring member, a saddle positioned on one side 01' the spring member and arranged to engage said spring member at predetermined spaced intervals, a pressure plate positioned on tne other side of the spring member having integral portions partially surrounding the saddle to maintain the pressure plate in predetermined movable relation relative to the saddle and disposed to engage the saddle member to secure it relative to the spring member, and indicating means including a scale and a pointer operatively connected to opposite ends of the spring member.

5. A gage comprising, a relatively flat spring member, a saddle positioned on one side of the spring member having raised end portions engaging the spring member adjacent its ends in prede ermined spaced relation, a pressure plate positioned on the other side of the spring memher and having depending portions partially enclosing the saddle member arranged to secure the saddle member relative to the spring member and the pressure plate, and indicating means including a scale mounted on one end of the spring member and a pointer operatively connected to and relatively movable in response to relative movement of the other end of the spring member.

6. For use in measuring the tip force between electrode tips of a resistance welding machine a gage comprising, a substantially U-shaped member of flat spring material having a central portion with substantially parallel leg portions projecting therefrom, a saddle positioned on one side of the central portion longitudinally thereof and in engagement therewith adjacent the ends of the central portion only, a pressure plate positioned on the other side of the central portion intermediate the points of engagement of the saddle with the central portion and operatively connected to the saddle to maintain a predetermined longitudinal relation therewith and permit deflection of the central portion toward the saddle, and indicating means including a scale secured to one of the leg portions and a pointer secured to the other of the leg portions.

FOSTER R. WOODWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent: 

